It is oftentimes desirable to disconnect a final drive for a track-type vehicle, such as an excavator, when the vehicle is being towed. Although the transmission for the vehicle is normally placed in neutral during such towing, hydrostatic motors employed in the vehicle's final drive remain operatively connected to the drive sprockets for the tracks. Thus, the motors are driven by the sprockets during towing which may result in damage thereto due to lubricant starvation and frictional drag occasioned between the rotating components thereof.
In addition, a normally engaged and hydraulically releasable brake is usually integrated into the final drive. Since the vehicle's power plant is non-operative during such towing, the barke cannot be released hydraulically unless special release mechanisms are employed therefor.
Typical lock-out devices for disengaging a pair of meshing gears employed in such a final drive are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,744,331, 3,800,901 and 3,835,722, as well as U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 311,823, filed on Dec. 4, 1972 by Cheek et al for "Drive Disconnect Device". The above patents and application are all assigned to the assignee of this application.